Sharon denounced for French anti-Semitism claim

By Timothy Heritage

French politicians and Jewish leaders denounced on Monday a call by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon for French Jews to emigrate immediately to Israel to escape what he called the "wildest anti-Semitism".

Sharon made his remarks in a speech to visiting Jewish leaders in Jerusalem, despite acknowledging efforts to fight anti-Semitism led by President Jacques Chirac. His comments have soured the atmosphere as France tries to build ties with Israel.

Attempts by Israeli spokesman to ease tensions made little impact after Paris demanded an explanation for the comments.

Parliamentary speaker Jean-Louis Debre, a member of Chirac’s ruling conservative party, the UMP. told Europe 1 radio Sharon’s comments were unacceptable and irresponsible: "These are matters which distort reality...and I think they are an expression of hostility towards our country."

Sharon often calls on all the world’s Jews to migrate to Israel. He acknowledged the French government was making efforts to stem anti-Semitism but added that the threat was so grave that French Jews should head for Israel without delay.

France is home to western Europe’s biggest Jewish and Muslim communities and has been troubled by attacks on Jewish people and property in recent years, some of it blamed on tensions stoked by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

OUTRAGE FROM LEFT AND RIGHT

But French leaders said Sharon’s remarks were ill-informed.

"France is not Germany of the 1930s," said Julien Dray, spokesman for the opposition Socialist Party, referring to the Nazi persecution of Jews.

Defence Minister Michele Alliot-Marie told RTL radio France strongly condemned racism and added: "I would simply recall that France is today certainly the country with the strictest legislation on all problems of racism."

French Jewish organisations distanced themselves from Sharon’s remarks.

"He should leave the French Jewish community to deal with its own affairs," said Theo Klein, honorary president of the CRIF umbrella group representing major French Jewish organisations.

Israel has often criticised the stance taken by France and the European Union over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, accusing the EU of bias towards the Palestinians.

Paris has been trying to strengthen trade and political ties with Israel, but renewed tension in relations could undermine such moves. The French Foreign Ministry demanded an explanation on Sunday for comments it said were unacceptable.

A spokesman for Sharon tried to ease tension on Sunday by saying the prime minister had praised France for its "strong stance" against anti-Semitism while blaming anti-Semitism in France on "a large Muslim populace who are hostile to Israel."

About 600,000 Jews and five million Muslims form part of France’s population of 60 million.

The French Interior Ministry registered 67 attacks on Jews or their property and 160 threats against Jews in the first quarter of this year compared with 42 attacks and 191 threats in the last three months of 2003. PARIS (Reuters)